Refrigerating apparatus



May 9, 1939. R. E. GOULD 2,157,754

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n n n n n on n n n n n 25 l 1% [Purl/4R0 5'- G III A TTOR KEYS Patented May 9, 1939REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Richard E. Gould, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication October 30, 1935, Serial No. 47,437

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to refrigerating apparatus andparticularly to a refrigerator cabinet having a refrigerating systeminstalled therein.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved refrigerating.apparatus of the type having an insulated food storage compartmentextending continuously and substantially from the top to the bottom of acabinet of predetermined height and to provide for the mounting ofcertain elements of a refrigerating system associated with the cabinetwithin the cabinet walls andin a portion of the horizontal'planeoccupied by the food storage compartment.

In carrying out the foregoing object, it is another object of theinvention to construct the insulated wall structure surrounding the foodstorage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet of a different horizontalcross-sectional contour than the enclosure of the walls of the cabinet,so as to provide a space between the cabinet walls and the insulatedwall structure for the reception of certain elements of a refrigeratingsystem,. while at the same time providing straight unobstructedvertically extending wall surfaces for the food storage compartment.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accom- 30panying drawings wherein a preferred form of v the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet constructedaccording to the present invention; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the refrigeratorcabinet taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the shelf arrangement inthe food compartment shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the refrigerator cabinet takenon the line 33 of Fig;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation,taken on the line 4-4 5 of Fig. 3 and showing the mounting of a certainelement of a refrigerating system associated with the refrigeratorcabinet; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the refrigerator cabinet taken onthe line 55 of Fig. 3 and showing the shelf arrangement in elevation.

Referring to the drawings, for purposes of illustrating the invention, Ihave shown in Fig. 1 thereof a refrigerator cabinet generallyrepresented by the reference character ID. Cabinet III has outerfinished vertically extending side walls ll formed by a substantiallytubular metallic member l2 of rectangular form in horizontal crosssection (see Fig. 3). An opening provided in one of the vertical'sidewalls of cabinet ID is surrounded by a wood frame l3 which is attachedto the member l2 in any suitable or desirable manner. Tubular member l2has its upper and lower open ends closed by sheet metal pan members 14and I5 respectively. Within the walls of cabinet in and secured to framel3, there is an insulated wall structure comprising an inner metalmember I l which forms the wall surfaces of a food storage compartmentI8 and an outer metallic member H! which surrounds and encloses anysuitable insulating material 2|. 15 A metal shell 22 is corrugated as at23 and is secured by being welded to the metal inner member I! so thatthe corrugated portions 23 form closed refrigerant passages around thefood storage compartment lining. These refrigerant passages are, in thepresent disclosure, formed into a single serpentine passage or conduit.It will be noted that the upright portions of the insulated wallstructure extend continuously in a vertical plane substantially from thetop to thebottom of cabinet l0, and that the horizontal cross-sectionalcontour of the insulated wall structure is of a different form than theenclosure of walls II to provide a space between the insulated wallstructure and the cabinet outer walls. The horizontal cross-sectionalcontour of the insulated wall structure is, in the present disclosure,of a semi-cylindrical form, thus providing a space or spaces 25 betweenthe insulated wall structure and ;the outer vertical walls I] of cabinetII] at each corner of the cabinet. This space 25 is provided for apurpose to be more fully described hereinafter. The food storagecompartment I8 is divided into a plurality of compartments by a shelfarrangement which comprises a plurality of shelves 2! stationarilysecured to a rotatable upright member 28 mounted in any suitable ordesirable manner centrally within compartment l8. The food compartment'access opening, surrounded by frame I3, is adapted to beL-closed by adoor 29. It will be noted that shelves 2'! are substantiallysemi-cylindrical in planular form and that the straight edge portionsthereof must be rotated into a position in alignment with and adjacentto the food compartment access opening in order to permit door 29.toclose the opening. The revolving shelf arrangement facilitates access tofood products supported on the shelves and positioned at the rearportion of the compartment I8.

A .closed refrigerating system is associated with and carried by cabinetII. This refrigerating system includes a cooling elementor evaporatorcomprising the refrigerant flow or expansion passages 28 formed in thedouble metal wall of food compartment ii. The system also includes arefrigerant circulating unit generally represented by the numeral 3|.Unit 3| is mounted in any suitable and well known manner in the space 2!provided between the insulating wall structure of food compartment l3and the cabinetwall II at one rear corner of the cabinet. It will benoted that the mounting of -unit 3! within a portion of the horizontalplane occupied by compartment II permits the food compartment to beextended throughout substantially the entire height of cabinet l0.Refrigerant circulating units of the type disclosed ordinarily comprisean electric motor directly connected to a compressor and enclosed in asingle housing. Operation of the motor of unit 3| may be controlled inany desirable or conventional manner (not shown) to cause operation ofthe compressor of the unit: Operation of the compressor by the motor of,unit 3| causes the compressor to draw evaporated or gaseous refrigerantfrom the refrigerant passage 23 of the cooling element. 4 through pipeorconduit 33.

The gaseous refrigerant is compressed by the compressor and caused toflow through conduit 34 to a condenser 35 which is mounted on the backwall of cabinet- III. The compressed-refrigerant is cooled and liquefiedin condenser 35 and is circulated through pipe 36 to a suitable pressurereducing valve or expansion device 31. The valve or device 31 may beenclosed in a box and surrounded by a packing of suitable looseinsulating material to prevent moisture from collecting thereon anddripping therefrom. Liquid refrigerant; upon flowing through valve 81passes through a pipe 38 into the refrigerant passage 23 of the coolingelement wherein it expands upon absorbing heat fromthe food compartmentl8 to cool same.

The expanded or vaporized refrigerant is againwithdrawn from the coolingelement by the compressor of unit 3| and recirculated through the ystemas described.

The motor-compressor unit- 3| is cooled by air which flows upwardlythrough an opening 42 provided in the lower pan member II of cabinet land outwardly of the cabinet through openings provided by louvers 43 inone wall ll of the cabinet. In orderqto insure circulation of air overthe unit 3|, and to prevent pocketing of the air in the space or spaces25 within the confines of the cabinet walls, a sheet metal bailie member44 is interposed between pan member l and the side wall II ofcabinet.-,||l. This bame 44 forms a compartment for unit 3| and the heatgenerated by the unit 3| creates a thermal syphon circulation of airthrough the compartment.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there is provided animproved refrigerating ap paratus. The improved refrigerating apparatusis particularly useful for installation in places where only a lowrectangular shaped space is available. In such places, conventionalrefrigerator cabinets having a machine compartment located either aboveor below a vertically extended food storage compartment cannot beinstalled because the overall height of the cabinet is too great. Theimproved refrigerating apparatus not only fulfills the requirement justdescribed, but also provides ample food storage ing walls of the foodstorage compartment of -the improved refrigerating apparatus provideswall surfaces'which maybe readily and easily cleaned.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood'that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

- 1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet formed of pairs ofconfronting flat walls, a refrigerating system associated with thecabinet and including a refrigerant circulating unit and a coolingelement, and an insulated wall structure forming a cooling compartmentwithin said cabinet and extending substantially from one .wall of one ofsaid pairs of walls to its confronting wall, said wall structure havinga partly cylindrical portion which cooperates with the cabinet walls toprovide a space between said portion and the adjacent parts of thecabinet, said refrigerant circulating unit being housed in said space,and said cooling elementbeing. connected to said refrigerantcirculating-unit and forming an interior liner for said wall structure.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet which has a door andis substantially rectangular in horizontal section, a refrigeratingsystem associated with the cabinet and including a refrigerantcirculating unit and a cooling element, and an insulated wall structuresecured within said cabinet and extending substantially from the top tothe bottomthereof, said wall structure having a partly-cylindricalportion cooperating. with the cabinet .walls to provide a space betweensaid portion and the adjacent parts of the cabinet, said refrigerantcirculating unit being housed in said space, and said cooling elementbeing connected to said circulating unit and arranged to provide a lineradapted to cooperate with said door to enclose a cooling space.

3. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having bottom and topmembers and flat walls extending between said members, a refrigeratingsystem associated with the cabinet and including a refrigerantcirculating unit, and an insulated wall structure which is generallycircular in cross section and which extends from the top'member to thebottom member of said cabinet, said wall structure cooperating with thecabinet walls to form a space, said circulating unit being arrangedwithin said space, and said wall structure including. a linerwhich'encloses a cooling space and an embossed sheet which is secured toand cooperates with said liner to provide an evaporator forming part ofsaid refrigerating system. I

'4. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet which issubstantially rectangular in horizontal section, a refrigerating systemassociated ment being within the cabinet and in the form of an uprightcylinder generally circular in horizontal section, whereby a space isprovided between the compartment and adjoining walls of the cabinet, anda baiiie member extending across said spaceand between said adjoiningwalls and said compartment to form a housing therewith, said refrigerantcirculating unit being mounted in said housing, and said cooling elementbeing disposed in heat exchange relation with the insulated compartment.

5. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cab-' inet having top andbottom members and walls extending between said members, one of saidwalls having a door opening, a refrigerating system associated with thecabinet and including a refrigerant circulating unit and a coolingelement, an insulated compartment extending substantially from the topmember to the bottom member of the cabinet and having an access openingwhich registers with said doorv opening, said compartment being withinthe cabinet and including a partly-cylindrical casing cooperating withsaid walls to provide a space between the compartment and adjoiningwalls of the cabinet, said refrlgerantcirculating unit being housed insaid space, and said cooling element being disposed in heat exchangerelation with the insulated compartment,- a shelf in thepartly-cylindrical 341 casing, and a door for said door and accessopenings, the shelf conforming in horizontal section to the interior ofthe partly-cylindrical casing and being so mounted for rotation about avertical axis that when the shelf is rotated while the door is open theshelf will extend into the door opening.

6. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having walls one ofwhich is formed with a door opening, the cabinet being substantiallyrectangular in horizontal section, a refrigerating system associatedwith the cabinet and including a refrigerant circulating unit and acooling element, an insulated compartment defined by a wall generallycircular in horizontal section and extending substantially from the topto the bottom of the cabinet, said compartment being within the cabinetand having a vertical axis, whereby spaces are provided between thecompartment and adjoining walls of the cabinet, said refrigerantcirculating unit being housed in one of said spaces, and said coolingelement being disposed in heat exchange relation with the insulatedcompartment, a shelf structure mounted in the insulated compartment forrotation about said axis and having a plurality of shelves, theinsulated compartment being in horizontal section more than asemi-circle but less than a circle and being formed with an accessopening which registers with said door opening, and a door for said doorand access openings, said shelves conforming in horizontal section tothe interior of the insulated compartment, whereby when the shelfstructure is rotated while the door is open the shelves will extend intothe door opening.

RICHARD E. GOULD.

